Early 2012

Cousins

The boys' cousin came for a visit in January and she wrapped them around her little finger. They were fighting for her attention!

New school, new uniforms.

School started in February. The days are long, ten hours including transportation 40 km one way. It is academically more challenging, but the boys love it! And the grounds are perfect for basketball and football.

Costa Rica is all about animals. We have spotted amazing species just next to our house, like the anteater sleeping high up in the tree. Tuomas was appalled by the scorpion mother carrying its young. Apparently the babies end up eating the mother! I have been to Monteverde again and saw 32 different species of birds in 2.5 days. My friend almost stepped on the tarantula.

Anteater in the yard of our old house.

Orange-kneed tarantula in Monteverde

Three-wattled bellbird  in Monteverde

Purple-throated mountain gem, female.

Pit viper in Monteverde

Perfect roundness of a jelly fish.

The red tide hit the shores in March and killed a lot of sea life. There were a lot of dead or half dead animals on the beach every morning and the smell was really bad. We tried putting the sea snakes back into the ocean since they were still alive.

Sea snake

Frozen smile of a parrot fish

Tuomas jumping from about 5 m!

Back in February we did a weekend trip to Tambor because Risto played in his first tournament. While he was playing I took Tuomas and Jaakko to a waterfall in Montezuma. Tuomas really enjoyed jumping from the high rocks, I didn't.

During the weekends we spend a lot of time in the park. All four boys play basketball and the three younger ones find old and new friends there to play with.

Playing hide and seek in the park

Risto playing baloncesto in Coco Beach.

The beach right next to the basket ball court.

I am addicted to cacao beans. These sprinkled on my orange juice-banana-ginger-cayenne pepper-cinnamon smoothie, yummy!

Roasted, unpeeled cacao beans, about $4/kg.

During the Easter break we decided to go to Rincon de la Vieja for a short hike to the La Cangreja waterfall. Well, not so short. It was 5 km to the waterfall. We had walked maybe 4 km when Jaakko had a total meltdown. He was not happy, but we thought it was because he had forgotten to take his swimming shorts. "There is no waterfall there! I don't want to go!!". When we finally got there, he did not want to swim. He ate a bit, drank his juice, was unhappy. It was a beautiful place, the rest of us enjoyed swimming in the cool water. Tranquil. When we started walking back Jaakko threw up after walking 3 m. Only 4997 m to go back to the parking lot. And there were a lot of hills going up and down. DH ended up carrying him for at least 2 km, I carried him maybe for 500 m.  Either he had a sunstroke or a migraine. He slept all the way driving back home, had a little bit to eat and drink while demanding that all the lights be turned off and slept 12 hours. And he said that he won't go back to Rincon before he turns 12.

Jaakko not happy.

La Cangreja waterfall

The long way back.

When we moved into our new house in February the dishwasher didn't work. A repair guy came over two or three times to look at it until he finally took the washer with him. "The spare part will arrive mañana." Last week he brought a temporary dishwasher. Such is his expertise in this field that he used the wrong kind of a hose to connect the washer to the hot water causing a nice flood on our floor. Yesterday another guy came to attach a more suitable hose. He and his helper tipped the washer on its side causing another flood. I gave them a bucket and some rags. First one of them left to buy some parts that they needed, after half an hour the other guy disappeared, too. I was left with this scene, water and tools on the floor, bucket full of dirty water and no knowledge if/when they'd be back. And I was supposed to cook dinner.  Eventually, to my huge surprise, they did come back and the washer does work.... mas o menos.

Will it ever work?

I have spent some of my free time doing photography. I know two photographers here and have been able to practice my skills photographing nature and people. It is a lot of fun and hopefully I have learned something, too.

Waves in Coco Beach

Por que?

Happy!